ood driver discounts. now that's the stuff...? boss: how 'bout this? gecko: ...they're the bee's knees? boss: or this? gecko: sir, how 'bout just "fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance." boss: ha, yeah, good luck with that catching on! anncr: geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. we're back now with more of "today" on a wednesday morning, the 18th day of november 2009.

two weeks from the big tree-lighting ceremony here in rockefeller plaza. can we get a shot of that tree in the background there, jimmy? scaffolding all over her, but they're going to take that down. the lights are going up, and we're going to flip the switch in two weeks. always a wonderful event. >> mr. lauer with his dga card. very nice. >> yeah, there you go. >> yeah. >> i'm matt lauer along with natalie morales and al roker out on the plaza. it's chilly today. >> not too bad. they're going to put the star on top, the swar ski crystal. >> and the money 911 team is talking about everything from cleaning up that all-important credit card debt to saving for your retirement. we'll check with them and have some of your questions in a couple minutes. and we have got a superstar stopping by. some of our fans already out in the plaza. liza with a "z," a triple threat, from big screen to small to broadway. she's done it all, even earning her fourth tony award this year.

we're going to catch up with the show biz legend in just a little bit. >> wow, that's cool. okay, plus, could i be standing between the sexiest men alive right now? >> no. >> probably not. >> not a chance. not even a chance. >> could matt and al join the ranks of george clooney or brad pitt? i hate to break it to you guys. somebody else got the title this year. >> what a shock! >> yes. we're going to find out who is on the cover, just ahead. and we've got a surprise guest stopping by. lucky me. >> hmm. >> okay. we'll find out more about that. let's go inside first. ann is standing by at the news desk. ann? >> hey, thank a lot, matt. good morning again, everybody. in the news, north korea's nuclear program will be the focus of talks during president obama's meeting with south korea's president. he arrived in seoul this morning, the final stop of his asian tour. earlier, the president told nbc's chuck todd that his goal for afghanistan is to make sure the country is stable.

>> i'm confident that at the end of this process i'm going to be able to present to the american people in very clear terms what exactly is at stake, what we intend to do, how we're going to succeed, how much it's going to cost, how long it's going to take. and i think that's what is owed the american people, because frankly, over the last several years, that's not what they've gotten. >> meantime, ahead of the president's visit to korea, protestors opposing the war in afghanistan clashed with police outside the u.s. embassy in seoul. president obama's criticizing israel's decision to move forward with building settlements on territories claimed by the palestinians. the president says the move will be dangerous and make it harder for israel to achieve peace with the palestinians. on tuesday, israel said it would build another 900 housing units in east jerusalem, which palestinians claim as the capital of any future state. for the second time this year, pirates have attacked the "maersk alabama" today. it happened again off the coast of somalia, but a security detail aboard the ship fired at

the pirates and stopped them from taking over the ship. last april, pirates hijacked the ship and held the captain, richard phillips, hostage for five days until he was rescued by navy s.e.a.l. sharp-shooters. the fd sank warning people who take the blood-thinner plavix not to combine it with prilosec and nexium. the agency says the combination could reduce the effectiveness of plavix, used to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke. the latest tests from the insurance institute for highway safety put ford and the volvo unit as well as subaru and volkswagen at the head of the pack for 2010 model cars. best of class were the ford taurus, volvo c-30 and legend and the vw jetta. look for higher airfares in 2010. delta, northwest and united are bumping up their surcharges to at least $30 each way for peak travel days and holidays beginning in march. us airways also says that it will add a 5% surcharge to all

u.s. flights in may. and a phoenix library has finally received two books back from a former student 51 years after they were due. the books were returned to the high school library along with a note of apology and a $1,000 money order for the late fee. now, that is a responsible former student. it is now four minutes past the hour. let's go back outside to matt and nat. >> ann, thank you very much. >> thank you. let's get a check of weather. where's mr. roker? >> i'm in front of our tree and the new swarovski star that's about to be debuted for the sixth year in a row. the famed rockefeller center christmas tree will be topped by a magnificent christmas star designed by swarovski. it's adorned with 25,000 crystals. it's going to take place this afternoon. joining me is nadia swarovski, the fifth generation to work in the business. good to see you. >> good to see you, al. >> you decided to redesign this

boy. what'd you do? >> well, swarovski's all about reinvention. we have added l.e.d.s, the new efficient light source, and the l.e.d.s will add more sparkle, brilliant and radiance to this star. >> how long did it take you to put this thing together? >> so, to initiate, it took one year to create the star, but to revamp it, it took about three months with nine crafters, engineers -- >> oh, and there it is! >> ladies and gentlemen! >> whoa! you cued that perfectly. >> sorry. >> well, it's beautiful, and you guys have done a lovely job. >> well, we're so excited to be such a big part of new york city, and it's been great to work on this great project. >> nadia swarovski, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> the 83rd annual lighting of the christmas -- 77th annual, i should say, lighting of the christmas tree will be live wednesday, december 2nd at

>> we are off to a quiet start on this wednesday. clubs will be thickening up as we had through the day. later on, a slight chance for later on, a slight chance for rain >> and that's your latest weather. now back to you, ann. ♪ somebody call 911 >> al, thanks. now to "today's money 911," where we solve your money emergencies. we have today's financial editor jean chatzky, personal finance

expert david back and cnbc's sharon epperson. natalie morales is across the street with the coffee drinkers. good morning. >> good morning. >> we have andrea in portsmouth, ohio, with a question about savings, important question. andrea, what's your question? >> caller: hi. i got married in july. my husband and i want to start a retirement savings routine, but we don't know where to start. so, what's the best option for beginners? >> all right. jean? >> the best option is to look at your workplace and see if either of you are offered some sort of a 401(k) plan with matching dollars, because those matching dollars, if you can get them, are an instantaneous return on your money. if you don't have the option of a 401(k), then i would look at a roth i.r.a. open one for each of you. and if you go out and you decide you can automatically transfer about $400 for each of you into that account every single month, you'll max out your ability to contribute and it can grow forever. then when you want to buy that first house or pull out money to pay for college for your kids, it will be there for you. >> good.

andrea, thank you very much for your question. from marriage, we'll make a hard turn all the way to divorce, because we have a question now via e-mail in new york. "help. i'm going through a messy, painful divorce and have gotten myself into a horrible financial mess with tons of credit kaferd debt. i am talking to some credit card consolidation companies and know that this will hurt my credit for a while, but seems like the only solution right now. how do i know if these companies are legit?" david. >> okay, first of all, the most important thing is for her to make sure she gets her husband, who she's going through this divorce, off your credit, because she could be racking up credit and doesn't even know it. and the key to consolidation is the rate. so, when you consolidate debt -- and i don't always recommend people do this -- you need to get the rate locked. they often suck you into a teaser rate. they say we can lower your rate down to say 5%, but in the fine print, what happens is if you're late once or twice, they'll jack that rate back up to 10%, 15%,

1 20%, she should be looking at a nonprofit consumer counselor to see how she got into this date and how they can lower it for her. >> how do they find one? >> go to debtadvice.org. there's 1,400 centers. she should go there. then wherever she gets referred to, i recommend she ask for three specific referrals so she talks to three people in the last three years and find out how they helped her so she knows she's working with somebody who's reputable and check the better business bureau. >> debtadvice.org. okay, let's talk to natalie with a question from the coffee drinkers. >> i do. i have brian here from columbia, south carolina. what's your question, brian? >> yes, i'd like to find out, as with medical costs rising every year, can you give us some advice about health care savings plans and ways to save money? >> great, great. and timely question. sharon, can you give brian some advice? >> yeah. that's a very good question, brian, and so many people are now going to be in more control of this health savings because of what their employers are doing. they're putting it in your

court. so, a health savings account is something to really consider. you have to keep in mind, though, you're going to have a much higher deductible that you have to meet if you decide to have this kind of account. you're going to have lower pr e premiums, though. so you have to see what you've been spending so far on your health care, and a lot of folks don't do that they just pay whatever they do at the co-payment at the doctor's office and don't really know what goes into it. so, look into what you've paid so far in 2009 to figure out what you should do in 2010. but something to keep in mind, these health savings accounts, it's tax-free growth and you can, if you have a family, you can contribute up to $6,100 in that account, over $3,000 if you're single. it's a good way to go, but you really need to investigate it. >> all right. we've got gretchen in the great state of oregon with a question. hey, gretchen. >> caller: good morning. i've been unemployed and collecting unemployment since the first of the year, and i'm wondering if i should take advantage of my low income to transfer some of my traditional i.r.a. into a roth i.r.a. >> i'm seeing some head shakes.

>> yeah. it's a very, very good idea. people are alerted to the fact that next year, 2010, is kind of a free for all for a roth i.r.a. conversion, because for the first time, there is no income cap on those conversions. but what you have to keep in mind is that any money that you convert from a traditional i.r.a. to a roth will be taxed at your current rate of income. and because you're unemployed, your current rate of income for this year is likely to be very low. so, you're right, it could be a very good way -- very good time to take advantage and make the conversion. the one caveat -- don't pull money out of a retirement account in order to pay the taxes. only use money that you've got sitting on the sidelines. >> thank you so much, and thank you so much for your question, gretchen. thank you so much, all three of you. we're out of time. >> already? >> we'll get more questions next time you're here. and if you have questions you want to offer to the "money 911" team, go to todayshow.com. still to come this morning, who is your pick for the sexiest man alive? major question. well, "people" magazine reveals its cover guy, coming up. but first, up next, the one

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you know, the word legend is thrown around a lot these days, but one woman really fits the bill, liza minnelli. she's earned an oscar, an emmy, a grammy and more than one tony award. well, this year, her hit broadway show "liza's at the palace" won her a fourth tony. if you didn't get a chance to see it in person, guess what, you'll be able to see it in a new television special before it goes to dvd. liza, good to see you. >> hi, al. >> you know, i'm one of the lucky ones. i did get to see it live. >> oh, thank you. >> it was spectacular. >> that's too nice. >> you ended up extending the

show. did you have any idea -- i mean, the thing wins a tony, you win your fourth tony. >> yes. >> did you have any idea this special was going to be so well received, this broadway show? >> well, i tell you, i fought for it. i really did, you know? nobody really believed in it, and i thought, well, you know, maybe people will like it, you know, that kind of, maybe, you know, it will be okay, and i knew it would. >> and you were honoring your godmother -- >> yes. >> kay thompson, who, people should know, she wrote the el louise books. she was a composer, a musician and your godmother. >> yes. >> that's a whole ball of stuff. >> i know it! i mean, and she was -- >> why did you want to honor her? >> because she did everything, you know? she not only wrote "elouise," but she did her show, she did

this spectacular book, you know. there wasn't anything she couldn't do, and she was wonderful. >> and she was this cabaret performer in the '40s? >> absolutely. >> it's a terrific homage. it really is. >> thank you. i'm so thrilled you liked it. >> and i've got to ask you, the new "sex and the city," you serenade the ladies with a beyonce tune. >> yes. [ laughter ] >> which one do you sing? ♪ if you like it, then you should have put a ring on it ♪ >> can you do the whole thing, the hand move and everything? >> no. i've got ron lewis to kind of redo it, and you know, he's wonderful, so. >> and i heard they weren't all in the scene, but they came in and watched you serenade them. >> yes, they did. they were so sweet. >> oh, that's -- >> and it was fun. >> was it really? >> yeah. it was really fun. >> one thing -- i was thinking about this when he passed, when michael jackson passed.

i know how close you were to him. >> yes. >> you know, how did this affect you, when you heard about michael jackson passing? >> it was awful. you know, it was terrible. i was so startled. >> mm-hmm. >> you know? >> and so were all his friends. it was awful. just terrible. and he was the nicest man and the most talent, and he could do anything, you know? he was just brilliant. and it was terrible, al. >> you know -- >> you don't -- >> you walked in those shoes. i mean, you know what -- you probably better than most people know what he went through, because you've lived that, all of those demons and come out the other side. >> yes.

>> when you heard about it, do you think, did you wonder why, i mean, why this happened? >> yes. i was so shocked, and yet -- >> and yet maybe not so shocked? >> yeah. >> you could -- a lot of people, or a number of people said this was not necessarily an unexpected conclusion. >> well, i didn't expect it. i really didn't. and, yet, i wasn't startled, you know? i don't know what to say, you know? >> are you going to see the movie "this is it," maybe a one

last time, or do you prefer to remember him as you remember it? >> no, i'll see the movie, yeah. i want to. yeah. are you? >> yeah. >> good. >> i am. and i urge people who haven't seen your show live to go get that dvd, because it is spectacular. >> oh, al, thank you. >> it is "liza at the palace." it's always good to see you, liza. >> you, too. thank you. >> and check this out, liza, this is amazing. we're going to take you to indiana, where our ambush makeover team is about to cut off the hair of a guy who hasn't seen a pair of scissors in almost seven years. okay, guys, go for it. >> three, two, one! >> oh, my god, no! >> can you believe that? too bad! liza says "too bad!" we'll have the results, coming up. >> oops! >> they're going to make a wig out of that for me. but first, these messages. >> we sure will. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia. and then he recommended lyrica...

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still to come, "people" magazine reveals its pick for this year's sexiest man alive. >> natalie already knows who it is. >> uh-oh. plus, winter coats that will keep you warm and have you looking hot. >> she looks hot. you're anything like me, you're perfect! but since you're not, you should be getting ready for the target 2-day sale. i'm getting there first, in order to get all of the door-buster deals on electronics, games, everything for the holidays. nothing's gonna stop me from being first in line. nothing. not that it's a competition. but someone's pulling ahead. ooh. ooh.

starts friday november, 27th at 5am. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. baltimore city mayor sheila dixon's defense will continue to

lay out their case this morning as the prosecution rested yesterday without calling whom many thought would be their star witness. by not calling developer ronald lipscomb to this stand, the judge agreed to drop two of the seven charges against the mayor. it appears that maryland on the whole is a safer place to live and was a year ago. for the six months of 2009, half of the states' jurisdiction reported a 4% drop in violent crime statewide. murder is down 11.5%. property crime dropped 9.5% to robberies were down nearly 7%. officials credit initiatives that allow law-enforcement agencies to share information and work together. let's work of the forecast with tony pann. >> weather will be going downhill through the next 48 hours. rain will come in on thursday could look for clouds to pick up as we move through wednesday. a slight chance for rain

showers, but mostly in the afternoon. high temperatures in the mid- fifties. sunset coming up a 4: 50 this afternoon. the chance for rain goes up on thursday. off-and-on showers through the afternoon. there could be rain left early in the morning. then it should clear up late in the day. if i were to pick one of the two weekend days, i would pick saturday as opposed to sunday. there is a 30% chance for a shower on sunday. there could be rain as we head into the beginning of next week as well. you notice no big cold coming in. >> we will have another update at 9:55.

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onto the singer/songwriter scene in 2001 and has been reveling with fans ever since. now he's out with a new album and will be playing his great new songs in a live studio performance here on "today." >> that's tomorrow. >> yeah. and next week, leading up to thanksgiving, we've got three big plaza concerts in a row, starting monday with a whole half hour of music from "britain's got talent" sensation, susan boyle. then tuesday, the amazing alicia keys will take to the stage. and on wednesday, bon jovi is back to rock you over the long thanksgiving weekend. so, if you're in the area, come on by. it's a big week. nobody brings you a bigger week of music. >> blockbuster. >> than "today." >> yeah. >> you're going to need two tvs next to each other just to get it all in. >> so big! >> yeah. meantime, tomorrow is going to be john maher, bringing his drummer, steve jordan, who is incredibly talented. we're really excited about that. >> yeah. great, great concert. also, coming up in this half hour, who's the sexiest man

alive? of course, there are the favorites. >> sure. >> who have gotten the honors in the past -- george clooney, hugh jackman, brad pitt, all very deserving. or could it be a dark horse this year? "people" magazine reveals its choice in just a few minutes. so, you'll want to stand by for that. >> okay. >> and one of the members of this elite group is here, and natalie has been giggling like a schoolgirl. >> she has. >> she has been fawning over this guy -- >> she insisted on kissing him in fact, it just happened -- >> excuse me? >> everybody else is shaking happens -- >> grabbed him. >> wrestled him to the floor. i've never seen anything like this. >> i was just being nice. this person happens to be international, so that's what you do. >> oh, is that how you greet them? >> you greet them with a kiss on the cheek. >> you're going to find out -- >> there he is. [ laughter ] [ speaking french ] >> that was very cute.

okay, also coming up, if you haven't bought your coat, winter's here, we have the best ones to not make you so hot, natalie. it's -- we have a little guide on what coat you may want to buy. plus, the queen of the cosmetics world has brought along her greatest inspiration. we're going to meet bobbi brown's dad. then later, actress nia ardowis from "my big, fat greek we >> the cuts will be thickening up as we had through the day today. the the most part, it will stay dry good 20% to 30% chance of a shower. temper

>> and that's your latest weather. >> all right, al, thank you. coming up next, natalie discovers who "people" magazine designated as the sexiest man alive. >> get the hose ready. rgy that creates new jobs. being the number one manufacturer of wind turbines in america. and developing lower emission, fuel-efficient aircraft engines. ecomagination means growing the green economy by harnessing our most powerful resource- imagination. the american renewal is happening. right now. it can lift your mood, help rebuild muscle... and improve your concentration. tylenol pm works with your body to ease the aches and pains that keep you awake, and helps you fall asleep in a non-habit forming way.

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hidden valley ranch, makes vegetables delectable. now rediscover the delectable taste that can only come from hidden valley, the original ranch. all right, it's that time you've been waiting for this morning. every year, "people" magazine bestows the title sexiest man alive on one hollywood hunk, and as evidenced on our own show, it's a role these celebrity beefcakes take very seriously. >> your friends come up and say you're the sexiest man in america. you go, no, no -- >> alive. >> sexiest man alive. >> it was a little embarrassing for me because matt damon lobbied so hard for it, you know? and when he didn't get it, i know he was hurt. >> you're campaigning to be the sexiest man alive on "people"? >> clooney's been trying to, you know, trying to campaign for me the last few years. >> really?

>> yeah, it's a whisper campaign, but i feel like it's working. >> sexiest man in the universe for the what, 43rd consecutive time? >> the second time. >> by the way, i should mention, this is a rather rare honor to give the new sexiest man alive the honor and hand it to you from last year's. >> last year's sexiest man alive. >> congratulations. >> oh. that is so nice. >> there you go. >> so, the sash goes like that -- >> no -- >> like that. >> no. yeah, something like that. >> that is -- and then, you know. >> "people" magazine has made another smart choice. >> yes, they have. >> all right, that was then. "people" magazine's julie jordan is here to reveal this year's honors, and the winner for the sexiest man alive for 2009 is, julie? drum roll. >> johnny depp. >> johnny depp. >> yes, absolutely. >> da, da! second time he has been named the sexiest man alive.

so, why double dipping and why now? because he doesn't really have a film out for 2009, right? >> right. well, the thing about johnny is he has proven his sexiness over the years. jack sparrow, willie wonka, the mad hatter in "alice in wonderland" in january. these characters, he's the one that can pull off sex appeal behind the characters. >> staying power. >> they demand that in sexiest man alive. >> they have staying power. well, i have to agree. he qualifies in my book. there is also a spread in here. this is the "waking up in vegas" spread. >> yes. >> and to do the honors, another very sexy man -- >> please. >> according to your readers, is jeel. tell me about him. >> we did a feature, "waking up in vegas," paying homage to "the hangover" this summer, and i like him especially because he says when you go to vegas, it's better to take your friends. he's a happily married man, but enjoys letting loose. i think a lot of husbands out

there, including my own, would agree with him. >> he's got the moves on the dance floor. jeel, come on in. >> please. >> here is the intermall man of mystery we've been talking about. see? in france, you kiss, twice, right? thank you. >> yes. >> how are you? >> al roker wanted to give you a kiss, too, by the way. >> he left. >> he's going to be here to give you a kiss. >> we'll kiss backstage. >> so, tell me, you're here -- >> what an honor. >> you're here. it's an incredible honor. you've got to be here, though, you know? next year, maybe? yes. >> whenever the time will come, but i'm so happy that actually johnny depp is the sexiest man alive, because he is. he's a real man and he's been proving for many, many years that he's definitely -- he has the whole package. >> enough about him. what about you? >> what can i say about me? >> you have a project out that you're proud about right now. tell me about this. it's a calendar? >> yes, yes. a very good friend of mine actually -- oh, here we go. did a calendar and all my

proceeds will go to a charity called the maximum hope foundation. >> yes. >> so, i'm very proud of that. it helps terminally ill children and families to get through that. >> so, it's a great cause. >> yeah. >> it's something you're passionate about. >> i wouldn't have had that, but it's a good one. it's a very good one. >> and it's a very nicely done calendar. i can't tell you which month is my favorite, but al thinks august 20th -- >> august 20th. >> the date of august 20th. he would like your autograph on august 20th for his birthday. so, we'll have you do that for him, too. and gilles, any other products coming up for you, movies? "sex and the city," are you back? can you tell us? >> not really. on the second one, no, but i'm on the dvd, so i don't know, a dream sequence? i have no idea. they'll surprise me. but no, i'm back on "brothers and sisters." that's going to be amazing. >> very good. >> amazing cast. >> good. >> i'm in heaven there. >> well, we hope to see you on the cover next year, julie. >> i think future issues, for sure. >> we're going to start lobbying for you. >> the whisper -- >> the whisper campaign.

>> do they really campaign? the celebrities do campaign, right? >> this is a title -- it's a coveted issue. >> there is a dedication on the photo in the background -- >> for al? >> for the sexiest man. it's my publicist in the back. >> oh -- >> there's a silhouette of a female. >> that's the dedication. >> so, see what lengths they will get to. >> it's the publicists who do the dirty work. gilles, julie. so nice to meet you. thank you for being here. good luck can the calendar. it's great cause, even better. thank you. find out why "today's" beauty editor bobbi brown brought her dad along today. and this is his new chevy, what sold you? i can return it. of course, now on top of chevy's 5-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, they're offering their 60-day satisfaction guarantee. now, when i buy a new chevy i can return it within 60 days if i'm not thrilled. just one problem... what's that? i'm thrilled. change is good jim. the 60-day satisfaction guarantee. from chevy.

a little while ago a thought popped into my head. i don't want to worry about my computer freezing or crashing. i decided to tell microsoft about it. and suddenly, windows 7. i don't know how they did it but i have lots of stuff going on right now and, do i look worried? it's great. i told them to improve something and they did. i wonder what else i should tell them? maybe to pay my rent? i'm a pc. (pointing to self) windows 7, my idea.

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is good to the last drop. okay. ahh... then we will all do it together. treats! teets... teets... teets! yeah! look at this! oh! it seems like the best family traditions... you want some? always start in the kitchen. ( laughter, conversation ) rice krispies. happy thanksgiving. what you know about "today's" beauty editor bobbi brown is that she's a makeup artist, successful businesswoman, a great mom. but what you might not know is that her dad, joe brown, sparked the imagination she brings to her work with the stories he told her when she was a little girl. a lawyer by day, joe is the creator of a fictional hero in

the new children's book based on those bedtime stories. it's called "the flights of marcio: race to the rescue." and good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> he's a retired lawyer. >> retired. >> yes, retired. he's much happier now. >> retired by day. very nice. interestingly enough, the book is dedicated to the closest people in your life, including "bobbi, who restarted my motor." turns out, she did that by surprising you for your 70th birthday with some stories she had tucked away all these years. >> yes. >> right. i published a book for my dad, very small without pictures, and i surprised him when he came to visit us in colorado. i had stocked them in the book store, and i didn't know what to get him. do i get him, you know, a shirt? >> wait, these are stories that i had written for her and her brother and sister 40 years ago, and we put them away and i had totally forgotten about them. >> and you had held onto them. >> i held on, and they were yellow, and they were just there one day, and it was just like bingo. so that became the book.

>> you were a happening dude in the '60s. look a little like joe namath. very cool. >> that's a long time ago. >> yeah. >> so, tell me about bobbi and what inspired you to write these stories for her and her sibs? >> we would tell stories. i loved to read and i loved them to read. i thought it was the number one most important thing for a kid to do was read, build their curiosity. imagination is to me -- that's what i do now most. i like best going to the schools, reading to the classes and discussing imagination, things like that. hopefully, i'm the guy who triggered that imagination, because she just triggered my coming back to being a writer, not coming back -- i was a lawyer for 50 years. >> so, tell us about the book. who is marseau? >> a new york taxicab driver who every day gets a little tired of what he does and imagines these exciting adventures. his superpower is that he has the ability to interact, talk to animals. they will do anything he wants, he will do anything they want, and -- >> the illustrations are

gorgeous. >> steven markazy is the illustrator, award-winning illustrator. he's wonderful. >> and it's written in poetry. i always say my dad is the modern-day dr. seuss, so little kids love listening to it, and there's a glossary, because my dad would always insist we learn big words as a kid. so, all the hard words are taken out on the bottom so a kid can learn new words. >> i know i am who i am today because of my dad and my mom and what they did -- >> yeah, no question. >> these stories and the things that joe did, did that directly affect who you became? >> well, definitely, because you know, creativity and imagination is everything, and my dad never told me one thing -- he never told me i couldn't make it. he always told me i could do anything i wanted to do. and come on, my dad let me major in makeup. >> major in makeup. >> what kind of lawyer? i majored in makeup, and -- >> man. >> i was worried she would choke up in mascara 101. >> well, again, the book is "the flights of marceau: race to the rescue."

joe and bobbi brown, good to see you. >> thank you very much. >> i understand your real first name is james. >> james brown. >> james brown. >> i feel good. >> all right. >> you knew that i would. >> and coming up next, how to stay warm and cozy this winter. without breaking the bank. t

this morning on "today's style," wrapping yourself in the warmest winter coats, whether it's wool or washable, the best coat does its job when it keeps the chill away. rachel zals is the contributing editor for "life & style" magazine. best coats if you want to mind your budget. >> absolutely. there's lots to think about -- the climate you live in, the lifestyle you have. do you want something casual, more formal, the fabric? you know, do you want something versatile? and there's so many options. there's brights, there's military, and everything we're showing today is about $100 or

under. >> all right, good news. >> yes. >> let's look at the options you're talking about. we have winter white, and our first model is mary. >> yes. >> good morning, mary. >> we love white in the winter, and this is making a huge statement this season. we're going to see tons of white coats. this is very 1960s. it's jack b.b. dakota. it's only $80. and the thing with coats is you don't really get to see a lot of your outfit, so use accessories wisely. you know, we put in a puff of pink with the hat and the scarf from jc penney, pink tights, color tights are going to be huge this season. >> you know, i see them in the stores and don't know how we're supposed to wear them, but this gives a pop of color without your whole leg -- >> absolutely. a lot of people are afraid of wearing a whole leg of pink, but you can pair them with the boots, a huge trend. $40 from mandy. >> really? >> it's a great look all together. >> thank you, mary. now, she's got a puffy jacket. >> yes. >> and it looks great on her. it's got a lot of shape. how'd you do that?

>> absolutely. you can be cute and chic and comfy at the same time. these puffer jackets will be everywhere this season. this is great for running around over the weekend, taking your kids to soccer. it's old navy. it's about $79. what's happened is it's become more modernized. you see the gun metal color, the faux fur hoodie, which is cute, if you want to pull that over for extra warmth. >> looks like that zips off, maybe. >> yeah, you can zip it off for versatility. it's also a bulkier coat, so we wanted one that was belted to give you a little shape under that nylon quilting. and throw on some skinny jeans, converse sneakers from target. this is such a great look for the weekend. >> that look, actually, this comes back again and again. it may go out for a while, but it always comes back because we need the extra warmth. thank you so much. the next look that you think is one of the options is kate. >> yes. >> we have a lot of this. >> we will see a ton of equestrian. >> huh. >> we've done tons of it in "life & style," and we're going to have capes everywhere.

you might think a cape is not warm. this is actually 80% wool. most coats right now are blends. and it's great for layering. you can wear a turtleneck, a long-sleeve tee, button down. three layers at least under it. you want to pair it with really skinny pants. >> i can see this might be good with what she's wearing as well. >> great gloves from curations. this is a great tip. if you have an old black coat in a closet, for $34, you can buy this, put it on and it gives you a brand new collar. so, you can just update coats you already have in your wardrobe. >> for $34. >> yeah. >> okay. thank you so much, alanna. >> that's the gap for $68. >> okay. and now we've got karen, and she's in a pop-up color. i love color. i would like to wear it more. look how pretty it is. >> yes. we love brights. we'll be seeing bright pinks and reds, lots of bold statements in coats. this is new york & company, about $104. and what's great about it is it's a really stream-lined coat. it gives you a really good

silhouette. because it's so thin, you could actually wear trousers underneath. these are men's trowsers. pair it with great shoes. the lace-up oxfords are probably the hottest trend in shoes right now, tons of celebrities. $30 from payless. >> thanks a lot, karen. woenl have time for one more, and that's for melissa, and she's wearing a military jacket. >> yes. military is the must-have. now, this is the most versatile coat. forever 21. about $42. you can wear it with jeans and a turtleneck in the day. at night you can glam it up with this, you know, gold dress. and really use jewelry as statement pieces. the ring is grace by molly sims, a great necklace. >> all right, rachel zalis, thank you so much, and thanks to our models as well. coming up, ambush makeover in indiana.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. police are searching for the suspect or suspects who shot and killed one person and wounded another at a convenience store in catonsville. it happened around 7:30 last night at the 700 block of frederick road. police of not yet released a motive and are asking anyone motive and are asking anyone with

when it comes to italian sauce, some people prefer this jar.

but more people prefer this sauce. winner of the blind taste test. the sweet and savory taste of prego. it's in there. >> welcome back. the weather should stay pretty quiet on this wednesday. he will see a slow increase in the cloud cover. there is a slight chance of a light sprinkle this afternoon. high temperatures in the mid- 50's. best chance of rain in the forecast will be tomorrow. showers likely in the afternoon with a high near 54. >> we will see you back here for 11 news at noo